


Given from the Heart

by C-chan (1001paperboxes)



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 13:04:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5457455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1001paperboxes/pseuds/C-chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Celebrating the holidays with the Amis is never easy. Buying gifts for everyone on a tight budget that makes it fair for everyone makes it especially challenging. However, with a little thought and reflection on each one, Enjolras thinks he can manage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Given from the Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BlackWingBecci](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackWingBecci/gifts).



> There is so much love to explore between the amis and their extended family. It was a pleasure to explore even one aspect of that. I hope you enjoy, and have a happy holiday season.

Celebrating the holidays with the Amis was complicated to say the least.

The group after all was quite diverse in religion, heritage, family background and traditions even excluding Bahorel's family's odd mix of Christian/secular, Islamic, Chinese Buddhist and (of all things) Zoroastrian traditions or Jehan's attempts to at least somewhat celebrate every religious observation he knew of. Grantaire had once pointed out that they resembled nothing more than an after-school special, and while Enjolras wanted to sigh and point out that multiculturalism needed to be accepted and integrated on a wider scale rather than played out with token characters, even he had to admit that the resulting theme song and three seasons' worth of episode synopses were rather fun. (Joly and Bossuet had taken it upon themselves to come up with a pun for each episode title, and each had a moral attached, while being at least somewhat loosely based on something the group had experienced. It was all really impressive.)

While celebrating everything with everyone certainly wasn’t an option (no matter how much Jehan tried to lobby for it), it was generally decided that having one big, semi-secular and whatever-religious-stuff-you-feel-like-bringing holiday celebration was acceptable and the best compromise. Taking a break between the Muppet Christmas Carol and Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas to light the menorah and a yule altar while plates of samosas, sushi, and fresh-baked cookies circulated was pretty much expected. 

Last year, they had done a Secret Snowflake (/Santa/Dreidel/Krampus fighter), setting a $25 limit on the presents. However, between half the group showing up with gifts for everyone anyway and at least one person feeling bad about receiving without having something to really give in return, it was decided that letting everyone acquire gifts for everyone would be best. The overall budget had doubled to $50, allowing just under $5 per person, but with reminders added that spending less was always welcome and in fact encouraged in the case of the more crafty types, which made Feuilly look visibly relieved.

Still for Enjolras, one of the ones without such a leaning, $50 seemed a tough budget to follow, especially with twelve people to split it between. If he was honest with himself though, the challenge sounded interesting if potentially frustrating, especially if he wished to avoid Grantaire’s suggestion of “just go to the dollar store and buy everyone shit.”

And so, Enjolras made a list of everyone he would have to find something for, and started to contemplate what sort of gifts he could get to reflect his relationship with each of them.

Éponine was one of the harder people on the list because she was still greatly an enigma to Enjolras. She'd only come into the group recently and consciously remained at the outskirts — both due to Marius and Cosette's mere presence according to Courfeyrac and Combeferre, who between them had figured out the complicated triangle between the three. Still, Éponine was a fierce fighter for human rights and justice, having experienced enough of the bad sides first hand to want to create a better world for herself, her sister, and her three estranged brothers ("if they're still alive," she'd muttered once, and Grantaire of all people had hugged her tight). Éponine was the one whose voice often rang loudest and she was often the first to run into several frays when she saw a need. She was sometimes too reckless, sometimes too ruthless, but for the most part she was brave, proud, and a good ally with stories of her own to tell. He looked forward to learning more from her and listening more to what she thought was right and wrong with their society, being much more closely tied to the horrors beyond one's own front door than he ever wished to be.

For her, Enjolras thinks, something practical would be best, though perhaps with a touch of femininity. Keeping her style in mind, he settles on a pair of inexpensive, patterned, convertible mittens.

This brings him to Marius and Cosette: a couple very much of two individual personalities that create an indestructible whole, as mooning and silly as that whole could sometimes be. Marius tended to be an odd mix of shy and overenthusiastic; he had been quite outspoken in his outdated views when Courfeyrac had first introduced him to their group, but had seemed much more subdued from their (significantly later) second meeting onward, at least in front of him or in group situations. He could be quite charismatic when he wished to be, however, and even if Enjolras wasn't quite sure if Marius was quite yet citing his sources correctly, he at least had the convictions to follow what he believed in with all his heart, which Enjolras could greatly admire.

Cosette, on the other hand, was as strong as she was sweet. Having come from a similar start as Éponine (rumour was that they spent time together as children, though Enjolras did not know enough of the details to understand completely) she was also working to better the lives of other. However, where the latter was strong in protest, Cosette preferred to face the problems where they happened, and excelled in caring for individuals who were dealing with or had dealt with all sorts of crisis. It was a gift, and one that he was glad she had, being an area that he himself was not the strongest at. He would need to learn more from her as well with time, he supposed, though perhaps Courfeyrac or Combeferre could make more direct use of her gifts and talents than he could personally. What she was capable of, however, she did well indeed: even though they'd known her for a fraction of the time, she was doing more to make Marius feel at home than even Courfeyrac, and the difference in his actions was notable.

He finds a set of two teacups at a thrift store that suit Cosette, and after consulting with Courfeyrac on appropriate choices, adds some teabags and packets of cider, hot chocolate, and instant coffee from his own cupboard. He'll address the parcel to both while wrapping, he thinks, and leave instructions that the contents are to be enjoyed together.

Thinking of togetherness makes him think of Joly and Bossuet, and their girlfriend Musichetta. He thinks of their easy joking, of their understanding and open-minded attitudes. He remembers their joy at discovering Scrubs together and literally going "that's us!" even before Musichetta became their Carla. Her presence had brought an equilibrium to the relationship that had perfected what was already a very good thing, and even in the arguments that sometimes arose between her and Joly, there was a love and presence stronger than Enjolras had ever observed, without falling into the trap in living just for the other, as Marius and Cosette sometimes seemed to veer towards.

And really, they were some of the most generous people of time and spirit that Enjolras had ever met. Joly's unwillingness to let his anxiety and med school hypochondria get in the way of his near-unwavering cheerfulness was second perhaps only to Bossuet's that persisted despite bad luck that had put him in nearly life-threatening situations thrice since the school year had started. Not only did they know how to help when things were getting difficult for the other, but they knew how to bring others into that spirit as well. Sometimes Enjolras wasn't sure if he and Grantaire would be able to stand each other's company for the length of time that they did without those two being able to find just the right way to make light of the sometimes clashing ideals and personalities, and make everything just fit. And Enjolras, in turn, was glad to help out when Joly needed a test patient, Bossuet needed somewhere else to crash for a night, or they both needed time or materials for schemes or rebuilding after another small house fire ruined all of Bossuet's shirts. (It had happened twice, and now half of his wardrobe was ridiculous hand-me-downs from the group over. He said it made him feel loved and hugged every time he put one on.)

For them, he thinks, another group gift may be best: something that the three can share and make equal use of. After some consideration, he settles on a collection of sticky notes and pens, both in several colours and including a few novelty ones among the standard collections. Knowing them, these will end up being used as reminders wherever required, written wars in unexpected places, and origami being made and shared whenever Joly needs something to occupy his hands. Yes, he thinks, they'll enjoy this.

Grantaire, however, will need something all his own. And as much as sending him a diatribe or passive-aggressive notes is tempting, it's not in the spirit of the season, nor of the challenge. Not to mention, even if their personalities do clash quite spectacularly, Enjolras cannot deny that at his base, Grantaire is a good, well-meaning person at heart. Although his negative attitude could be aggravating, he'd used it to point out many sides that Enjolras may have overlooked before, and which he has worked around and prepared for as a result. His thinking provided the fodder for many group-wide inside jokes, and even his rambling nature contained interesting facts of which Enjolras had previously been unaware. 

The way Grantaire looks at him… Enjolras never quite knows what to do. When he's being earnest, when the sarcastic, self-satisfied look is gone, usually it's replaced by one of wonder, and sometimes Enjolras wonders if Grantaire remembers that he, too, is human.

Grantaire is an enigma, and a more frustrating one than Éponine, but he is the salt that enriches the flavour of their group of friends. Despite their laundry list of differences, Enjolras still loves him just as dearly as any of the others. He's not always sure that Grantaire remembers this, however, sometimes separating himself rather than joining in, even if he'd recently been actively participating in debates on every topic under the sun and gleefully writing filk mixing political events, pop references, and showtunes. 

For Grantaire, Enjolras settles on a framed photo of the group together. Somewhere between candid and posed, they'd arranged themselves like a picture they'd found of a group of friends in one of Jehan's French classics, and had spent a good ten minutes talking and playing there while Musichetta took several photos of the entire scene and people and subgroups therein. It's just a standard photo, but hopefully it will remind Grantaire of just how important they are to each other, and how much fun they could have together. And, just to show he does have a sense of ironic humour, Enjolras goes to the dollar store and buys him a bottle of bubble liquid. There's not too much trouble Grantaire can cause with bubbles, after all.

The dollar store will also be the best place to get another gift or two, Enjolras admits, and he heads in the general direction of toys as his mind drifts to Bahorel.

Bahorel stands out very clearly in his thoughts, largely because Bahorel is the type of person that is made to stand out. When the group travels anywhere, there is always an inside joke that if one gets lost, they should meet at Bahorel. Between his stature and choice of clothes, he's sure that it would work in a pinch, if things ever turned sour and the group needed to find each other in a hurry.

Bahorel and Enjolras both enjoy the thought of battling for what's right, though Bahorel's fights tend towards the literal rather than his own of the mind, policy, and the written document. The two together at a rally are imposing and nigh-unstoppable, especially with Combeferre acting as a battlefield librarian, supplying them with the legal knowledge they need to back their claims and cite their rights. Bahorel has also been the one to literally stare down danger, to go where others may not dare, and to make foolhardy but generally worthwhile decisions. They come from significantly different backgrounds and have entirely different values, but Enjolras admires the strength and steadfastness that Bahorel represents in almost every sense of the word. And if he can be a little off-colour, well, between Jehan Prouvaire and Grantaire, there's usually at least someone who will revel in the outlandish, obscene, and absurd with him.

A pair of knockoff NERF guns for him then. He will have fun with them, but will also have more sense and respect of the right times to have them out and put them away than Grantaire might, making them not quite as potentially obnoxious in the long run.

And then there's Jehan Prouvaire himself: often overlooked due to his shy demeanor, but unforgettable once you saw a glimpse of the brilliance within his mind. Courfeyrac had more than once suggested to Jehan to slow down, because his attempts to live a life as full as he did were bound to get him killed. And indeed, Jehan seemed to want to learn everything, try everything, take part in everything, and love everything, and as if life was too short and precious to waste even a second (though taking time and appreciating that was valued over bustling, which Jehan lamented over). His true passion was for words, and he was known to leave notes with random verses in library books, tucked into lockers, and stuck to bathroom mirrors to inspire others and add a little beauty to their day. He along with Bahorel had fallen in love with the idea of yarnbombing and had once managed to tie a scarf around every tree in the quad, with notes on all of them to take and wear them if any passers-by were cold.

While certainly eccentric, Jehan was open-minded enough to embrace any situation that came his way, and believed in trying anything at least once before passing judgement upon it. This ended better at some times than at others, and more than once Enjolras had been called at unreasonable times in the morning because Jehan had been experimenting with one thing or another, or had wandered out to view the stars without a coat or solid plans on how to get home and needed a ride or a place to sleep for a few hours, or a somewhere stay and someone to watch over him to make sure he was alright. Enjolras never minded — none of their group did. It was more than worth it to know and receive the unconditional love and care that came from the poet's shining soul.

For Jehan, glitter gel pens and a few notebooks: some with easy-removed pages and sensible covers, others with a more novel look and feel. They will be used up and filled in no time, if he knows the man at all, and every page and drop of ink appreciated.

Feuilly was a match for Jehan in his sponge-like ability to soak up knowledge, though the methods of use and application often varied. Enjolras hardly knew how Feuilly handled his self-imposed workload: a triple major in studio art, political science, and world history on top of a work-study position and a second part-time job, not to mention active participation in at least three campus clubs. He had come up through the foster system and hadn't known if he'd be able to afford university at all before a combination of scholarships, bursaries, loans, and very careful budgeting proved that he'd be able to manage.

Unlike Jehan, who dreamed of experiencing everything, Feuilly wished to understand and embrace it. His willingness to reach out, to educate himself, and to ask questions made Enjolras interested in him even before knowing how strong his convictions could be. And Enjolras learned right alongside him on more than one occasion, Feuilly asking clarifying questions that he never would have thought to ask. Admittedly, Enjolras sometimes wondered if he had an intellectual crush on him; upon positing such aloud, Combeferre had once responded "haven't we all?" That alone was telling.

Feuilly's present was surprisingly easy, if slightly cheating. Enjolras took two books from his own collection; older books, and titles that Feuilly had mentioned in the past. He debated adding a textbook as well before relenting; there would be time to remind Feuilly that they would support him there, as between the lot of them, most had taken the same classes at some point. He signed a dedication to Feuilly within the ones he did select; his words under three generations of recipients in one, and the first such dedication in the other.

This left only two more to reflect on: Courfeyrac and Combeferre.

The three had been inseparable nearly since they had first met. Courfeyrac and Combeferre had actually grown up together, attending the same schools since grade three. Enjolras hadn't known them until their mutual first year of university, but they'd all been mistaken for childhood friends on more than one occasion since. He wasn't surprised: the three shared a synergy and balance that Enjolras had never felt before personally, though he certainly saw it in other groups within their little circle.

The approximate $5 per person limit seemed especially tight for those two. He could think of dozens of things that either of them would delight in, and briefly entertained the thought of getting then presents outside of the exchange as well. In the end, however, sticking to the rules seemed best. Any more lavish spending could be saved for birthdays, and if it still didn't feel like enough, he could always donate to some favourite causes on their behalf. 

It was Courfeyrac who he met first, which really wasn't surprising. It was Courfeyrac who had met and introduced most of their extended group to each other. He was the gregarious catalyst that made everything possible, and the charismatic glue that still held them together. With him, it often seemed like anything was possible, and Enjolras was proud to steer the group to make Courfeyrac’s charismatic visions, ones they often all shared, that much more likely to one day be reality. 

Courfeyrac truly lived for a sense of community, surrounded by a circle of friends. Keeping that in mind, the choice of a gift was simple: a digital ornament, pre-loaded with pictures of everyone.

Combeferre, by comparison, was hard. Combeferre would appreciate almost anything, would find the joy in almost any gift, but somehow that made it even more imperative to choose the right thing and truly deserve the thanks that will be given.

Combeferre was truly Enjolras' other half: Combeferre was the depth to Enjolras' breadth, the peace to his protest, and almost literally the yin to his yang. If anyone but Courfeyrac were to have introduced them, there probably would have been some animosity with the third party as the two quickly morphed into best friends. As it was, Courfeyrac was delighted and fully enjoyed the precarious task of balancing out and bringing in that suited his own strengths.

Combeferre was the researcher and the pacifist that could back up and temper Enjolras' indignance and action. Their methods couldn't be more different, but their messages were often the same. They had many of the same interests, caught themselves reading the same literature in their downtime far too often, and had attended enough events together that their friends joked about it being a regular date night between them.

In the end, he goes simple: a tin of book darts for responsibly marking pages in the books he reads and wishes to cite. Knowing Combeferre, Enjolras realizes he might receive the same gift in return.

With that settled, all that remains is to wrap each one, and write personal messages to each: something to remind all his friends of just how important they are to himself and to the group as a whole. They may be unconventional at times, but in the end, Enjolras could not be happier to know each one of them, and was glad for the chance to reflect on each in the spirit of the time they had shared together.


End file.
